When an ultrasound imaging system is connected into a diagnostic medical imaging network, ultrasound image information captured at the imaging system can be stored for future reference. Several systems and methods have been used to store such information. For example, image information has been archived onto a removable storage medium. After the information is archived, the storage medium is removed from a storage device and placed in a media library for safekeeping. To reference the image information, a user retrieves the medium from the library and places it in the storage device. As another example, image information has been printed on film media and manually stored in file folders. A user must retrieve the hard copy from the file folders to reference the image information.
There are several problems associated with these systems and methods. Manually retrieving information from a media library or a file folder is time consuming. There is also a risk that the storage medium or film will be lost or damaged. In addition, because ultrasound images are typically transmitted and stored as full-size images, network efficiency and storage density are reduced.
There is, therefore, a need for a system and method for storing reference copies of ultrasound image information that will overcome the problems described above.